A Whale of a Tale

I saw this movie when it came out. In a western Michigan small town--I got the impression even then (as a teen) that it was being marketed primarily to "hicksville" theatres, like concurrent Sunn Classic and Benji movies (only more so). I can still visualize the fin-splashing poster. Yet I remember absolutely nothing about the movie itself. Which should tell you a lot, cuz I remember at least something from practically every other movie I saw back then. It must have been cheap/innocuous/generic beyond the pale. I didn't even remember that any famous actors (Shatner etc.) were in it--I thought it was all unknowns. Of all movies from back then I'd like to see again, at least in excerpt...this is one I figure I'm just fine losing all memory of, for keeps. Yep, even more than mid-70s ultra- obscuranties like "The Wonder of It All," "Echoes of a Summer" and "The Teasers Go to Paris," to mention a few.

This movie was a tax scheme. Investors were told they could write off more than 100% of what they invested in the movie. This is, of course, impossible. The investors had to reimburse the government. I think "Lucky" went to the federal pen. Not surprisingly this movie is terrible. It bored me out of my skull when I saw it as a kid. Anyone who claims it is a good movie is out of their mind. William Shatner is at his best in this movie, which is to say he is hilariously hammy. I also recall having a nightmare about the wailing (no pun intended) theme song: "Looking for a frieeeeeend. Looking for a frieeeeeeeeend." The good thing about the movie is that the people responsible actually got what they deserved--hard time.

As I put the Director of the movie (and the writer) Ewing "Lucky" Brown and the Producer together, I thoroughly enjoyed the making of the movie. The movie was made for children, rather than adults.

"Whale of a Tale" was produced before we had the current rating system. Ewing "Lucky" Brown was simply ahead of his time with his concept of making a movie for "the whole family to enjoy" and did it on what today would be considered a very small budget.

He (Ewing) never planned for it to be an Oscar nominee - just a good family movie and to this degree -- he suceeded!

Whale of a Tale is basically a story about a kid who visits a marine park and forms an attachment to a killer whale there. Not much else happens. It's very cheap looking and totally inoffensive, even by 1970's standards. It plays like an average episode of The Wonderful World of Walt Disney. In fact the star, Scott Kolden, appeared in many Disney productions, which seems odd as he's an actor of little talent. What really makes the film interesting is the appearance of William Shatner who plays a marine biologist at the park! The clothes he wears is enough to make watching the movie worthwhile. The box says that the film came out in 1976 but judging from the fashions worn by the characters, I'd say it was more like 1972. Oh yes, Shatner also has a totally forced romance with the boy's mom (naturally, Kolden plays a fatherless child) Whale of a Tale is actually pretty funny if you can accept it as tongue in cheek. It may well have inspired Free Willy twenty years later! One wonders how Shatner feels about it.

The last comment from a person who used Ewing Brown's nickname obviously had dealings with him that he resented. There was one investor - who was repaid - no tax scheme and no federal investigations. Mr. Brown was not arrested nor did he serve time. The picture did quite well, particularly in foreign sales. Germany bought it several times. That comment was libelous, and untrue. If he considers William Shatner, Abby Dalton, Richard Arlen, and Andy Devine unknowns, he is obviously not a movie or TV fan. The picture was intended to appeal to younger people, since that area was not well served, and in today's world, the G Rated pictures are doing well, because there is a need for them. It may seem tame today, since there is so much violence and gratuitous sexual content in both television and movie productions. Since I also worked on the film, I can verify that it was a happy and satisfied cast with a message of treating both friends and animals with kindness and respect.